Calgarians say housing, education, and employment are top issues ahead of municipal election: report

Housing, education, and employment are top of mind for Calgarians with the municipal election just weeks away, according to a report from Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC).

The report, released Tuesday, says housing is the top issue at 78.2 per cent, followed by education at 69 per cent, and employment just a hair below at 68.9 per cent.

The cross-sectional qualitative study by VCC involved 1,017 Calgarians. Enough for all surveyed 905 respondents, while the remainder spoke in one-on-one interviews.

Jaclyn Silbernagel, director of community engagement, says they spoke with over 5,000 Calgarians in all quadrants of the city, though over 1,000 provided publishable feedback.

“What was really pressing for people, and I don’t think it’ll be very surprising, is housing affordability,” she told CityNews.

“The cost of food, but access to education and of course access to meaningful employment, were really top-line concerns.”

What the report says

The report notes the issues surrounding housing affordability–the most important issue–affects everyone, but has a significant effect on older adults and those with disabilities. It says some participants “live in constant fear” of rent increases due to some relying on fixed income.

Additionally, the growing inaccessibility of home ownership was expressed by some participants as well, citing rising prices, limited supply, and “stagnant wages” as contributing factors.

When it comes to education, increased costs, accessibility to “quality learning environments,” and systemic barriers are affecting who can learn.

Parents expressed a challenge in finding affordable and quality early learning programs, while post-secondary students expressed frustration with student debt and limited access to grants or financial aid. Difficulty entering the workforce was also expressed as an issue.

The survey highlights employment as a major issue, noting the gap between Alberta’s minimum wage of $15 and Calgary’s living wage–based on VCC’s data–of $24.45 per hour.

“People living in poverty and/or on low incomes, along with newcomers, racialized individuals, older adults, and youth, were often mentioned as being particularly impacted by systemic inequities in the labour market,” the survey reads.

Newcomers also shared that their immigration status and a lack of citizenship make it difficult to find work that aligns with their skills and experience. The report notes that many find themselves in low-wage jobs with little to no benefits.

Climate a surprise inclusion; safety not listed as exclusive issue

According to Silbernagel, she was surprised to see that climate was discussed as it was.

“The impacts of extreme climate events, whether that’s wildfire smoke or hail damage or things that people are experiencing, I think it’s top of mind for people,” she told CityNews.

“It goes beyond an environmental issue, and I think people are really asking, ‘how is this affecting us socially in our communities?'”

While climate change was expressed in the discussion of the report, noting how respondents saw more frequent and intense extreme weather events, it was coupled with other issues in the ‘Other’ category, which ranked last in importance.

The other category includes bike lanes, urban planning, disability supports, language barriers, 2SLGBTQIA+ supports, racial equity, art and culture, newcomer supports, and animal protection.

Safety, a top issue for some candidates, wasn’t listed as an important issue in the report. Instead, mental health and justice were fifth and seventh of the top issues, respectively.

This comes after the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre became a key issue for Ward 1 councillor Sonya Sharp, saying the Safeworks Outreach site needs to be shut down. While safety has been expressed as an issue by the other candidates, some questioned the move without a comprehensive plan to support those who rely on its services.

The report says some respondents want to see an expansion in public investment for preventative and community-based health supports, calling for a shift toward systems that promote health and well-being at every stage of life, rather than in crisis.

Meanwhile, six recommendations for the city were listed, which include improving housing affordability and access through funding for long-term affordable housing strategies and accessibility to rental subsidies, and strengthening employment opportunities and income supports.

Silbernagel says while there are many issues concerning Calgarians, she is optimistic about seeing how these issues are tackled.

“We’ve been talking about it a lot in our city, and you know, we’re excited to see how different jurisdictions are coming together to address that concern,” she said.

“We’re really hopeful to keep seeing those options and opportunities.”

Calgarians head to the polls on Oct. 20.

With files from Micah Quinton